Orienting device for well tools



Nbv. 23, 1937. L, F, B NNEY ET AL 2,099,794

ORIENTING DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS Filed Aug. 5, 1936 i 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 rm F flan/7e f berz 5 Mord;

Nov. 23, 1937. L. F. BONNEY ET AL ORIENTING DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS Filed Aug. 3, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES ORIENTING DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS Lynn F. Bonney, Los Angeles, and Robert B. Moran, La Canada, Calif.

Application August 3, 1936, Serial No. 94,036

12 Claims.

This invention has to do in a general way with oil well operations and is-more particularly related to means for orienting the underground portion of a drill pipe from a point of observation at or near the mouth of the bore hole.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, there are numerous tools or devices employed in oil well operations which are suspended at the lower end of a drill pipe or other rigid suspending means and which depend for satisfactory results from their operations upon the tool or instrument being properly oriented at the bottom or at a predetermined point within the bore hole.

15 For example, various types of inclinometers and surveying instruments which are lowered into the well to obtain a record of inclination require that the operator know the orientation of the instrument at the time the inclination reading was taken in order that he may obtain knowledge of the direction or bearing as well as the angle of inclination. In certain types of such instruments, the instruments are mounted on the lower end of a rigid suspending memorienting the instrument case 'with respect to the first drill pipe section when it is mounted thereon, and then holding the drill pipe against rotation as it is lowered into the well and suc- '0 cessive sections added thereto, or by making marks on the drill pipe and measuring theinvolved which will render the results worthless so far as the direction of an observed'inclination is concerned.

Another type of tool which requires orientation within the well for satisfactory operation, is the so-called deflecting tool such as a whipstock or a knuckle joint bit which is used in some cases to straighten a crooked bore hole and in other cases to deflect a bore hole from its regular course to by-pass tools lost in the well, etc; In using tools of this character the orientation of the tool at the lower end of the drill string has heretofore been made in the general manner outlined above for inclinometers, that is, by attempting to hold the drill string against rotation as it is lowered into the well, or by marking the drill pipe and observing its rotation and calcuber, such as a drill pipe and is oriented by first I reading of inclination in the case of an inclinomlating from the observed angle of rotation the position of the tool on the lower end of the drill string when it reaches the bottom of the well and through the knowledge of such position turning the drill string to bring it into the desired 5 bearing. 7

These operations, as pointed out above, are subject to considerable error depending entirely upon the skill and care with which the operators proceed with lowering the suspending member into the well, and it is a primary object of this invention to provide a device for orienting the drill pipe which requires no observation on the part of the operator and which will permit the drill pipe being lowered into the well in the conventional manner without the provision of complicated mechanism designed to hold it against rotation.

One important feature attending the operation of the device contemplated by this invention is that the speed with which the tool and its suspending member may be lowered into the well can be-greatly increased over procedures in which the rotation of the drill pipe is measured or in which an attempt is made to hold the drill pipe against rotation. Furthermore, our invention contemplates a device whereby the lower end of the drill pipe can be accurately oriented and in which the possible cumulative errors resulting from the personal factor involved in prior procedures is entirely eliminated.

It is frequently necessary in using devices or the general character described above to stop the tool or instrument at a predetermined point below the surface of the ground or above the bottom of the well as the case may be, and to orient the device at such point to start an ofiset hole in the case of a deflecting tool or to obtain a eter. In previous operations the length of the I drill pipe below the surface of the ground must -be calculated from the number of sections of pipe which have beemused to build up the suspending member and hen measuring or estimating the distance on e last pipe section. Our invention contemplates as a further object the provision of means associated with the orienting mechanism for accurately indicating the length of pipe which has passed through such orienting mechanism at all times.

The details in the construction of certain preferred forms of our invention, together with other objects attending its production will be best understood from the following descriptionof the accompanying drawings which are chosen for illustrative purposes only and in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation with parts in outside view showing a drill pipe equippedwith a deflection tool suspended in a bore hole through one preferred form of orienting device contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation illustrating further details in the construction of a preferred form oforienting device contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 3 is'an outside elevation showing the top of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view with parts in cross section illustrating further details in the construction of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 is an outside elevation taken in the dition of the arrow 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating another form of roller construction contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan section similar to Fig. 6, showing another modified roller construction; and v Fig. 8 is a plan view identical with Fig. 7 illustrating the manner in which the rollers permit the downward passage of a collar or tool joint therethrough.

Our invention, as has been previously pointed out, contemplates a device which will permit free rotation of the drill stem as it is being lowered into the well and which incorporates means engaged with the drill stem at a vantage point above the mouth of'the well which constantly indicates the orientation of that portion of pipe or drill stem which has passed therethrough.

In other words, our invention contemplates an orienting member which is in frictional engagement with the drill stem at all times, the engagement between the drill stem and the orienting member being such that these two membersare interlocked against relative rotation and at the same time the drill stern may have longitudinal or axial movement therethrough. The orienting member is equipped with a suitable indicating means which cooperates with a flxed reference point to constantly show the position of the orienting member with respect to a starting position and consequently indicates the orientation of a device at the bottom of the drill pipe with respect to the radial position that such device occupied when it was started into the well.

Referring now to the drawings with particular reference to Fig. 1, reference numeral ll indicates a bore hole which is provided with a casing I2 extending downwardly through an opening I3 in a suitable foundation I4 and a landing head I 5 of any conventional construction which is carried by the foundation.

In this illustration we show the drill stem I6 extending downwardly into the bore hole, such drill stem being equipped with a deflection tool generally indicated by reference numeral l1. As

J. Lewis Patent No. 2,016,042. This bit construction incorporates an auxiliary or sub-stem section 20 which is connected to the main drill stem l5 through the medium of a knuckle joint 21- The lower end of the stem section 20 carries a bit 22 and the knuckle joint is equipped with a compression spring 23 and a cam face 24 whereby the stem section 20 can be set in predetermined angular relation with the main stem I6. The knuckle joint construction is further equipped with means whereby the rotation of the drill stem l6 will effect rotation of the section 20 without disturbing its angular position with respect to the section l6.

The procedure followed with a tool of this character is to set the bit carrying section 20 at I the desired angle with respect to the section l3 at the surface of the ground and after the bit has been lowered into the well, the knuckle joint must be oriented so that the angular section is set in the desired direction to straighten the hole or produce the desired ofiset as the case may be.

For the purpose of effecting this orientation of the tool of. the type shown in Fig. l, or of any other tool in which orientation is necessary, we show the landing head l5 as being equipped with an extending collar or tubular head piece 30 secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by means of a flange connection 3|, such collar being provided with an annular bearing flange 32 at its upper-end. The annular bearing flange 32 is shown as being threaded to the top of the section 30 as indicated at 30' and constitutes the support for the orienting member generally indicated by reference numeral 33.

This orienting member 33 is shown as compris-' ing a ring 34 which has an inwardly extending flange 35 positioned beneath the flange or collar 32. Threaded into the top of this ring member 34 above the flange 32 is an inner ring 36 which holds the orienting member against downward movement. It is important that the orienting member 33 be supported for free rotation with respect to the tubular head piece extension 30 and for this purpose anti-friction bearings 38 and 38' may be interposed between the opposite faces of the flange 32 and the corresponding bearing faces in the orienting member or ring 33.

Reference numeral 39 indicates a flxed indicator or reference point which cooperates with an indicating mark or a series of such marks 40 formed on the orienting 'ring to establish the angularposition of the ring with respect to a fixed reference position at all times. t

In order that these indications may be transferred to the drill pipe, so that they also indicate its rotation with respect to a flxed reference position at all times during its longitudinal movement through the bore hole, it is important that the orienting ring 33 be locked against rotation with respect to the drill pipe and at the same time it is important that the means for effecting this lock should permit the free axial movement of the drill pipe.

In the form of our invention shown herein, this interlocked relation between the orienting member and the drill pipe is effected through the medium of pressure friction rolls 45 and 45' supported on spindles 46 and 46' which are normal to an axial plane through the drill pipe. The spindles 46 and 46 are carried by bearings generally indicated at 41 which are located in the upper free ends of lever members. 48 such lever members being pivotally mounted on the orienting ring as indicated at 49.

Yieldable means are provided for holding the friction rollers 45 and 45 in pressure engagement with the drill stem I6 passingtherethrough, such yieldable means in this form of my invention being shown as comprising tension springs 50 which are connected between bosses and 5! on the lever members. justing the tension in the springs, such means being shown as comprising an adjustment screwtiid.

With this arrangement it will be seen that the position of the roller axes permits the free axial movement of the drill pipe between these rollers, the rollers rotating during such movement. It will also be seen that the pressure engagement of the rollers against the drill pipe, accompanied with the fact that the support for the rollers is freely rotatable about the axis of the drill pipe is effective to interlock the drill pipe and the orient- I ing member against relative rotation. The lever mounting for the rollers permits their expansion away from each other during the passage of a drill collar therebetween without disturbing the pressure contact and therefore without permitting relative rotation between the two parts.

In using a device of his character, the tool or other instrument is mounted on the lower end of the drill pipe which is started through the space between the rollers and the orientation of the tool or instrument with relation to the drill pipe and the indicating mark lid on the orienting memher is observed. A deflecting tool for example, such as is shown in Fig. 1 would be positioned so that its direction is the same as that which it is to assume at the bottom of the well and the indication mark dd is positioned opposite the fixed indicator In this way the position oi the tool on the first or bottom section of the drill pipe is fixed with relation to the indicating mark till. The drill pipe is then lowered into the-well in the usual manner and when the tool reaches the desired point below ground the drill pipe is rotated to bring the mark Mi on the orienting collar in registration with the fixed indicator 39 and in this way the operator knows that the position of the tool underground has the same bearing as it had when it was started into the well.

In the event the device is being used with an inclinometer, for example, the operator would orient the inclinometer, between the rollers 35 and 65' before it was started into the well, at the same time orienting the collar 33 with respect to a fixed reference point (it and by bringing the collar baclr to its original point when the instrument was stopped for obtaining the reading, it will be seen that the recorded reading obtained in the instrument will be properly oriented.

As has been previously pointed out, it is another object 0:? this invention to provide an orienting device of this character with means for indicating the length of drill pipe which has passed therethrough. This type of construction lends itself particularly to use in conjunction with an odometer. In Figs. 4 and 5, it will be observed that the spindle G8 has an extending end portion lit equipped with a pinion 6!! which engages an odometer gear 63, such gear being associated with an odometer unit generally indicated by reference numeral 63. Such odometer may be calibrated in any desired units of length.

The friction rollers 46 and 46 may be composed oi any desired material which will offer sufficient frictional resistance to prevent rotation between the drill pipe and such rollers under the pressure applied to the rollers. In other words, the frictional resistance offered by the rollers to the rotation of the drill pipe must always be greater than the friction developed between the Means may be provided for adorienting collar 33 and its bearings. In the form shown herein we have illustrated the rollers as being composed of a pliable material such as rubber. In Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive these rollers are shown as being formed with cylindrical peripheries.

In the form of our invention shown in Fig. 6, the rollers eta and Ma. are shown 'as being provided with a central groove 64 of a radius corresponding substantially to the radius of the drill pipe.

In the form of our invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the rollers 36?) and deb are shown as being provided with a central groove 65 formed of a radius corresponding to the outside radius of the drill pipe and the edges of the roller periphery indicated at St and 66' are formed on a radius corresponding to the outside radius of the tool joints. In this way the main portion of the drill pipe passing between the rollers will be engaged in the intermediate groove til as indicated by the pipe ltb in Fig. '7 and the tool joints 68 will be engaged by the edge portion E6 and t6 as illustrated in Fig. 8.

It is to be understood that while we have herein described and. illustrated certain preferred forms of our invention and have indicated certain preferred uses thereof, that the invention is not limited to the specific forms or uses described above, but includes within its scope whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; a tubular head piece; means supporting said head piece near the mouth of the bore hole in substantially concentric relation therewith; a ring member mounted on said head piece for tree rotation relative thereto; and drill pipe engaging means mounted on said ring member and adapted to frictlonally engage a drill pipe passing therethrough, thereby interlocking said drill pipe and said ring member aganist relative rotation, said pipe engaging means being designed to permit the am'al movement of said drill pipe through said ring member.

2. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; a tubular head piece; means supporting said head piece near the mouth of the bore hole in substantially concentric relation therewith; a ring member mounted on said head piece for frw rotation relative thereto; drill pipe engaging means mounted on said ring member and adapted to irictionally engage a drill pipe passing therethrough thereby interlocking said drillpipe and said ring member against relative rota-' tion, said pipe engaging means being designed to permit the axial movement of said drill pipe through said ring member; and fixed indicating means associated with said ring member.

3. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; a tubular head piece; means supporting said head piece near the mouth of the bore hole in substantially concentric relation therewith; a ring member mounted on said head piece for free rotation relative thereto; and drill pipe engaglng means mounted on said ring member and adapted to frictionally engage a drill pipe passing therethrough, thereby interlocking said drill pipe and said ring member against relative rotation, said pipe engaging means comprising friction rollers supported by said ,ring member on axes which are normal to an axial plane through said drill pipe thereby permitting axial movement of said drill pipe through said ring member.

4. Foruse in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; a tubular head piece; means supporting said head piece near the mouth of the bore hole in substantially concentric relation therewith; a ring member mounted on said head piece for free rotation relative thereto; and drill pipe engaging means mounted on said ring member and adapted to frictionally engage a drill pipe passing therethrough thereby interlocking said drill pipe and said ring member against relative rotation, said pipe engaging means comprising friction rollers, lever means on said ring member supporting said rollers on axes which are normal to an axial plane through said drill pipe, and yieldable means holding said rollers in pressure engagement with said drill pipe.

' 5. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; an orienting member adapted to surround said drill pipe; means supporting said orienting member for free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; and pipe engaging means on said orienting member adapted to engage a drill pipe passing axially therethrough whereby said drill pipe and said orienting member are locked against rotation relative to each other.

6,) For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; an orienting member adapted to surround said drill pipe; means supporting said orienting member for free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; friction rollers mounted on said orienting member onaxes which are normal to an axial plane through said drill pipe; and yieldable means associated with said rollers for holding them in pressure engagement with said drill piper '7. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; the' combination of: an orienting member adapted to surround said drill pipe; means supporting sad orienting member for free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; pliable friction rollers mounted on said orienting member for engaging a drill pipe passing therethrough; and means for holding said rollers in pressure engagement with said drill pipe whereby said orienting -member and said drill pipe are locked against rotation relative to each other.

8. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole, the combination of: an orienting member adapted to surround said drill-pipe; means supporting said orienting member for free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; diametrically opposed lever members mounted on said orienting member; friction rollers mounted on the free ends of said levers on axes,which are normal to an axial plane through said drill pipe;-and means associated with said levers for holding said rollers in pressure engagement with said drill pipe.

9. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole, the combination of: an orienting member adapted tosurround said drill pipe; means supporting said orientingmember for free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; diametrically opposed lever members mounted on said orienting member; friction rollers mounted on the free ends of said levers on axes which are normal to an axial plane through said drill pipe; and means comprising tension springs interconnecting the opposite lever members for holding said rollers in pressure engagement with said drill'pipe.

10. For use in orienting and locating the position of the underground portion oi a drill pipe in a bore hole, the combination of: an orienting member adapted to surround said drill pipe; means for supporting said orienting member for free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; roller means mountedon said orienting member in frictional engagement with said drill pipe and positioned so as to be rotated by axial movement of said drill pipe; means holding said roller means in pressure engagement with said drill pipe thereby locking said orienting member and said drill pipe against rotation relative to each other whereby the \orientation of said orienting member indicates the orientation of the underground position of the drill pipe; and odometer means associated with said roller means for indicating the length of pipe below said roller means.

11. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; an orienting member adapted to surround said drill pipe; means supporting said orienting member for-free rotation about the axis of said drill pipe; friction rollers mounted on said orienting member on axes which arenormal to an axial plane through said drill pipe; and yieldable means associated with said rollers for holding them in pressure engagement with said drill pipe, said rollers being formed withconcave pipe 'engaging groovesin their peripheries.

12. For use in orienting a drill pipe in a bore hole; an orienting member adapted to surround said drill pipe; means supporting said orienting member for free vrotation about the axisof said drill pipe; friction rollers mounted on said orienting member on axes which arelnormal to an axial plane through said drill pipe; and yieldable 

